Bucs greats Barber, Lynch and Rice named Hall of Fame semifinalists

Three Tampa Bay Buccaneers legends are semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Author:
10News WTSP , WTSP

Published:
8:30 PM EST November 21, 2017

Updated:
9:47 PM EST November 21, 2017

Three Tampa Bay Buccaneers legends are semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Ronde Barber, John Lynch and Simeon Rice are among the 27 names announced Tuesday night.

Barber was named in his first year of eligibility. He spent his entire 16-year career with the Bucs, playing in a team record 241 games. His 215 consecutive starts is the sixth-longest streak in NFL history, and his 200 consecutive starts at cornerback is a record for the league.

Barber is the only player in the history of the NFL to have 25 or more sacks (28) and 40 or more interceptions (47). His 28.0 sacks are second-most all-time among defensive backs, and the most all-time by a cornerback. He tops the Buccaneers’ record book with his nine interceptions returned for touchdowns (including postseason), and his 14 total regular-season return touchdowns put him fourth in NFL history.

John Lynch was with the Bucs for 11 seasons.

Lynch has been a finalist for the Hall of Fame for the past four years. He spent 11 seasons in Tampa Bay after being drafted by the Bucs in the 1993 draft. He then spent four years with the Denver Broncos.

He played in 224 career regular season games, with 191 starts, totaling 1,277 tackles, 26 interceptions, 13 sacks, 16 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and 100 passes defensed. Lynch also started all 12 postseason games he played in, registering 71 tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes defensed.

Simeon Rice played with the Bucs from 2001-2006.

Rice played for the Bucs from 2001 to 2006, helping the team win Super Bowl XXXVII. A four-time All-Pro selection (1996, 1999, 2002-03) and a three-time Pro Bowl choice (1999, 2002-03), Rice finished his career starting 161-of-174 regular season games, totaling 122.0 sacks, 59 passes defensed, 34 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and five interceptions. He also started all seven postseason games he played in, registering 7.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

The three are hoping to join former Bucs players Derrick Brooks, Tim Brown, Randall McDaniel, Warren Sapp, Lee Roy Selmon and Steve Young in the Hall, along with former coach Tony Dungy and executive Ron Wolf.